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Out like a lion: zoo smashes March attendance records

This week's Second Tuesday lets community see more zoo animals for less

The Oregon Zoo shattered attendance records in March, as nearly 160,000 visitors flocked to the park to see new additions like pink flamingos, a baby DeBrazza's monkey and a river otter pup just learning to swim.

This week, the zoo's monthly discount day offers a chance to see more animals for less. Second Tuesday is tomorrow, April 9, and admission is just $4.

"There's always something new to see at the zoo," said Kim Smith, zoo director. "The flamingos look gorgeous — they've been making themselves at home in the remodeled Africa Rainforest aviary. Our 2-month-old river otter, Molalla, is getting swimming lessons from his mom. And in the Africa Savanna habitat, four new Speke's gazelles are roaming around with the zebra and giraffes."

The zoo's popular Second Tuesday admission-discount program, sponsored by the Walmart Foundation with support from The Standard, offers a reduced admission price of $4 on the second Tuesday of each month, a discount of more than 65 percent from regular zoo admission. As always, children 2 and younger are admitted free. Visitors who ride MAX light rail or the bus to the zoo will receive an additional $1.50 off general admission and are not required to pay the $4 per vehicle parking fee. (MAX and bus discounts require proof of ridership.)

In March, the zoo welcomed 159,718 visitors, a record for the month. The zoo also set attendance records for Rabbit Romp (15,885), Easter Sunday (9,446 visitors) and spring break week for Portland Public Schools (86,131 visitors from March 23-31; the previous record of 64,732 had been set in 1992).

The Oregon Zoo is a service of Metro and is dedicated to its mission of inspiring the community to create a better future for wildlife. Committed to conservation, the zoo is currently working to save endangered California condors, Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits, Oregon silverspot and Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies, Western pond turtles and Oregon spotted frogs. Other projects include studies on black rhinos, Asian elephants, polar bears and bats.

The zoo relies in part on community support through donations to the Oregon Zoo Foundation to undertake these and many other animal welfare, education and sustainability programs. The zoo is located five minutes from downtown Portland, just off Highway 26 at exit 72. The zoo is also accessible by MAX light rail line. Visitors who travel to the zoo via MAX receive $1.50 off zoo admission. Find fare and route information online or by calling TriMet Customer Service at 503-238-RIDE (7433).

General zoo admission is $10.50 (ages 12-64), $9 for seniors (65 and up), $7.50 for children (ages 3-11) and free for those 2 and younger; 25 cents of the admission price helps fund regional conservation projects through the zoo’s Future for Wildlife program. A parking fee of $4 per car is also required. Additional information is available by calling 503-226-1561.